Dear editor,I must respond to the letter Ms. Guest of Comox wrote in regard to the failed hospital location at Crown Isle (Record, Sept. 30).The reasoning she puts forth is flawed.1. The Crown Isle site was/is not the best site and though, according to VIHA — extensively investigated, no consideration was given to the airport, the opinions of emergency room doctors or public access in the event of a major earthquake. Little consideration appears to have been given to the traffic congestion for people outside of Comox and those in areas of Courtenay close by, or the cost of upgrading that infrastructure.It was simply a bad idea, poorly thought out and appears to only best benefit the interests of Crown Isle and the immediately surrounding area. I am thankful that Transport Canada had the ability to stop it in its tracks and they were totally in line to do so.As for your other suggestions:1. Destroy the trees in the surrounding area of the airport!? Kill off the blue herons!?2. Top all the other trees in excess of nine metres!?3. Removal of the tops of buildings!?These are illogical.Airports have existed in the presence of trees forever and common sense by knowledgeable people dictates which need removal for air transportation safety.There is a huge difference between a aircraft striking a tree or forest where the damage and casualties are confined to the aircraft versus an aircraft striking a hospital. This is your logic?I do agree, the entire process needs to be rethought. First, maybe VIHA should have hired a consultant not closely tied to the City of Courtenay and the interests of Crown Isle who has urban planning as their speciality and background and not building renovations and site surveying.Maybe they should have consulted and actually listened to the opinions of emergency care doctors and first responders. Maybe access by the entire catchment area to the hospital in all weather conditions and in the event of a disaster should be a top priority and not the driving distance of student nurses from NIC.Maybe the excessive cost of two hospitals and a continued lack of quality specialist care should have been a top priority.So, yes, VIHA should “rethink this entire process” and do the smart thing as recommended by the professionals who originally stated the best solution is one major hospital on the Inland Island Highway. (And doctors agree!)Where do I sign up to help save the herons?B. Funk,Cumberland

Comox Valley Record